The government celebrated refurbished trains – with a face-lift and improved toilet facilities – hitting the tracks just two weeks ago, but Benambra MLA Bill Tilley had higher hopes for the future.

“We would also like to think that we will finally get a train service that is safe, reliable and on time,” he said.

“Like its VLocity cousins (in Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong), hopefully it has wifi too.”

Speaking in Wangaratta last week, Premier Daniel Andrews guaranteed he would provide cash for new trains, but only once the federal government committed to fixing the track.

With the federal budget due to be handed down a week later, on May 9, the comments have cast uncertainty over the Victorian government’s commitment.

Euroa MLA Steph Ryan said it was concerning the government chose to upgrade existing trains because it could mean new rolling stock would be delayed even longer.

“Why does the state need to wait for the federal government? They have a clear responsibility for the rolling stock,” she said.

“I would be incredibly disappointed if it was used as an excuse to delay things another year.”

Ms Ryan’s budget wishlist also included funding for improvements at Benalla police station and Benalla P-12 College.

“If Daniel Andrews can afford to spend $270 million building a new 5000-seat stadium (for the third stage of the Melbourne Park redevelopment), he can afford to fund some of the priorities in North East Victoria.”

Mr Tilley’s priorities were work to improve Hume Freeway interchanges at Melrose Drive and McKoy Street, funds for Indigo North Health to upgrade its antiquated kitchen, money to relocate Wodonga Fire Station and funding to help control invasive species like weeds, wild dogs and deer.

Murray Valley MLA Tim McCurdy said with some people waiting six months for a drug rehabilitation bed, it was time to invest in a North East rehabilitation centre. “Drug addiction continues to have a significant impact on our local communities and, without the necessary resources, it remains very difficult to address this issue,” he said.

“In this budget we need Labor to prove that it cares about rural and regional Victorians by investing in projects outside of Melbourne.”

The Nationals member also called on budget funding for maintenance along major tourism and freight roads on Great Alpine Road, Wangaratta-Whitfield Road and Murray Valley Highway.

Schools desperate for funding will be hanging on announcements made in the Victorian budget.

The previous Coalition government promised $15 million for Benalla P-12 College — none of its four campuses have been properly upgraded in 30 years — $4.3 million for Wodonga Middle Years College and $2.1 million to Corryong College.

All three schools were still waiting years later.

Coalition members Benambra MLA Bill Tilley and Euroa MLA Steph Ryan renewed their advocacy for schools in their patches ahead of Tuesday’s budget.

“They have already funded planning at Beechworth and Rutherglen – that should be followed up with the money to make those improvements,” Mr Tilley said.

Ovens Valley MLA Tim McCurdy said Wangaratta District Specialist School was in real need of a new site for its growing student numbers.

“It is completely unfair on students, staff and families that the Labor government has failed to commit to this funding,” he said.